Player: Hayden Ernst
Event: Ultimate Pool Kansas City Shootout
Location: Blue Springs, Missouri
Date: July 24, 2026



Though his highlight from July's Ultimate Pool Kansas City Shootout was winning the junior's title, Hayden Ernst uncorked the shot of the event in the open 8-ball division. Such excellence shouldn't be too surprising from the 15-year-old Louisville, Kentucky, native, however, with 11 Billiard Education Fund Junior Nationals titles to his name.

But outside Kansas City, Ernst put together a strong performance in the open event, dispatching long-time pro David Matlock in the round of 32 to face Peru's Gerson Martinez Boza.

The South American international pro took the first rack before finding himself with all but one stripe on the table while Ernst was left with only his 6. Boza played safe by sending the cue ball down-table, putting distance and two blocking stripes between the cue ball and Ernst's 6.

On a bar table with so many obstacles in his way, Ernst needed to get creative. Having to go off a rail, he eyed an incredibly difficult proposition. As shown in the diagram, he circled the table calculating the angle off the right long rail and into the 6. The idea was kicking his object ball, which was nearly frozen to the top rail, a full table's length back down into the bottom right corner.

Not only that, he also eyed position on the game-winning 8 that would require the cue ball to go three rails at an awkward angle off the object ball while also avoiding the 11-13-ball cluster in the top left quadrant of the table.

With a firm stroke, the wiry teenager executed the shot just as he intended — with the 6 making a beeline for the corner while the cue ball fell into perfect position for the 8.

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